How a bill becomes a law: 2.0

To get a bill approved and made into state law, the bill goes through a maze of processes. We’ve worked with legislative members to draft bill language, and this is only the first baby step of the process. Schoolhouse Rock made the bill process look easy. This is how it works in North Carolina:

Some Helpful Vocabulary before we dive in:

We remember from middle school government class that there are three branches of government: the Legislative branch (House and Senate), the Executive branch (Governor or President), and the Judicial branch (Supreme Court).

General Assembly: This the the term for the two bodies of the legislative branch of state government- the house and the senate.

Chamber: This is a term for the collective House members (120), or the collective Senate members. ex) House chamber, Senate chamber

Speaker of the House: the presiding officer of the House Chamber. Wields the most power. The speaker assigns representatives to committees, and determines which bills are up for votes. Currently held by Rep. Tim Moore (R) – Rutherford.

Senate President Pro Tempore: the presiding officer of the Senate Chamber. Same powers as Speaker of the House, but for the Senate. Currently held by Senator Phil Berger (R) – Rockingham.

Committee: There are House Standing committees (18) ranging from agriculture to education to local government and everything in between.

How does a bill become law anyway?

To get a bill approved and made into state law, the bill goes through a maze of processes. We’ve worked with legislative members to draft bill language, and this is only the first baby step of the process. Schoolhouse Rock made the bill process look easy. This is how it works in North Carolina:

1. We start with a good idea, or an identified problem and proposed solution. Let’s take Rep. Harrison’s Environmental Justice Considerations for example. Permits for large scale projects are being approved without taking cumulative impacts on environmental justice communities into consideration. Harrison worked with environmental justice advocates and her legal team in bill drafting to write the bill, which amends sections of existing permits to include language requiring the agencies to deny permits if there will be a disproportionate adverse impact on low-income or minority communities. Often times, bills will contain “WHERE AS” clauses that provide information to explain the problem. Then the bill ends with “THEREFORE” to propose the solution identified as law.
2. The legislator, and the advocates, then work together to find no more than three primary sponsors. The primary sponsor is typically the person who has worked with their team to craft the bill. The leader of the House and the leader of the Senate have the sole power to determine what bills will be put on the floor for a full vote once they move through committee (we’ll get there). Because both chambers are Republican led, bills have a better chance of making it to the floor if there are at least two Republican sponsors. So advocates work to get other legislators to agree to sponsor the bill. Once primaries are identified, other members can sign on. The more Republican support a bill has, the more likely it is to reach the finish line.
3. Then it’s time for the bill to finally be introduced. The bill is sent to Bill Drafting, where it is reviewed and given a bill number. The next day, the bill is introduced in its chamber session. Is this case, the bill, House Bill 416 was introduced and explained by Representative Harrison during the House session meeting.
4. Once the bill has been introduced, it makes its way to its respective committee. The committee chairs dictate what bills are discussed, so this can be the first delay or even the end of a proposed bill. In this case, Harrison is on the House Committee on the Environment, where the bill would be discussed. The bill was selected for discussion and review by the committee chairs. Here, the committee members discussed any problems or issues they foresee with the bill and proposed amendments to address those concerns.
5. If the bill requires state funds, the bill then moves to committee on Appropriations. This committee wields a lot of power, and can be another major delay or the end of the bill. If the chair proposed the bill for discussion, the committee debates the bill and again has opportunities for amendments. If not money is required for the bill, the bill will skip this committee. This was the case for HB416.
6. If the bill is favorable and passes this committee, or skips that committee entirely, the bill moves to the Rules, Calendar, and Operations Committee. This committee holds the most power. This is where many bills meet their end. If the bill makes it onto the committee agenda, which is a major feat, the committee again hashes out logistics, debates concerns, and can propose amendments. This is where our House Bill 416 has been since March 21st.
7. If the bill were to be favorable in Rules Committee, it goes to the House floor for a full vote during a session. If the bill is to pass, the bill then moves to the other chamber, the Senate in this case, for introduction for it’s twin in the Senate. Then the process starts all over again. Often times, legislators from each chamber will work together to get a head start on this process by introducing a twin bill in the other chamber simultaneously.
8. When the bill successfully moves through one chamber to the next, both bills are brought to the Governor for final approval. The Governor has the opportunity to veto the bill, which would send the bill back to the General Assembly. Here is where the veto-proof majority comes into play. If the Republican caucus wanted a bill to pass, they could simply override this veto. If the Governor approves the bill, it is signed into law, sometimes ceremoniously.
9. While the Supreme Court doesn’t directly get involved with bills, they have the power to challenge the legality of bills, and use that power when necessary.